Matt Baird has supported the Social Housing sector for more than 11 years in a multitude of ways, as Host of The Social Housing Round Table, as Co-Chair of the Board for Spring Housing, as a Social Housing Recruiter for over 11 years or as the host of events such as the South-West CIH Conference in 2023.

As someone with a real passion for the sector and a morale compass focused on those most in need, his ventures have always aimed to ensure the voices of all are heard whilst also encouraging debate and discussion which moves conversations and ideas forward, rather than leaves in a vacuum of complaining. He has recruited Heads of, Managers and Officers of Complaints teams nationally, keeping his finger on the pulse of such an ever-changing market whilst also consulting and guiding those he supports to truly value input from our own specialists and those externally.

Of his ventures, the most well-known is The Social Housing Round Table, a free weekly networking event for anyone and everyone to try and create change for the sector. It takes place on Zoom every Tuesday at 11am and with sessions covering everything from complaints and customer services through to sector culture and the risk register, it’s a place to encourage the sector to be honest with itself and truly get to the core of how we can make much needed change.

Jonathan is an experienced Complaints Manager who has worked in the Housing and Care sector for over 16 years. He spent 14 years as Anchor’s Customer Relations Manager with responsibility for overseeing its Customer Relations, Customer Insight, Customer Centre Support and Home Ownership Support Teams. Whilst at Achor, he implemented ‘Customer1st’ – an initiative that championed resident involvement and included forming the first resident complaints scrutiny group in the sector.

Jonathan is currently Complaints Manager at Abbeyfield Living Society where he has continued to promote service excellence by introducing complaints e-learning and complaints toolkits for colleagues. He also launched the ‘we welcome your feedback’ initiative, designed to gather direct feedback from residents and support the early resolution of complaints.

Jon is an associate of TPAS (Tenant Engagement Experts) and an associate at The Housing Mediators and through his various roles has delivering complaints handling training for colleagues, resident focus groups and Housing Associations.

Alex Clark has worked as a Senior Customer Complaints Specialist since 2022 at Selwood Housing. Her role involves complaints management, and she ensures complaints are resolved according to the Housing Ombudsman Service guidelines, as well as educating others in the workplace to resolve complaints in a customer focused manner. She delivers training to ensure that others in the workplace have all the knowledge needed to respond effectively to complaints. Alex has previously spent almost a decade in property management, and another seven years in social housing with rent and debt recovery, and as a Supporting People Officer, giving her a deeper understanding of how best to approach difficult conversations with customers.
Through her work, Alex has gained great insight into the importance of accurate record keeping, CRM systems and how data analysis can be crucial in driving change. She is skilled in identifying themes and issues that need dynamic solutions and retains a flexible approach to responsiveness and resolutions.

Dr Guy Marshall is a fractional CTO and AI leadership specialist working at the intersection of housing, technology, and governance. He supports leaders in identifying high-value AI use cases, delivering data foundations, and implementing responsible AI with practical controls and good governance. Guy chairs the non-profits HAILIEnetwork.org and Manchester Statistical Society, and serves on the board of a medium-sized housing provider in England. Via Fuza, he provides independent advisory, supporting digital strategy for senior housing leaders, sharing real-world AI adoption lessons, establishing risk management approaches, and enabling the delivery of measurable outcomes. His background spans strategy, product delivery, and applied analytics, focusing on turning emerging technology into operational improvements and better services for residents.

I am the Involvement and Engagement Manager for South Tyneside Council Housing Services, with responsibility for leading tenant involvement and engagement across the organisation. I also oversee the Housing Complaints Service, using customer feedback and insight to drive learning, accountability and continuous service improvement.

I am passionate about Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and am an active member of the Council’s Multi-Cultural Network. Drawing on my lived experiences, I regularly support the delivery of EDI training and work closely with diverse communities to ensure that seldom-heard voices are represented and help shape our services. I am committed to creating inclusive opportunities for engagement and helping to deliver services that are accessible, responsive and reflective of the communities we serve.

Matt Baird has supported the Social Housing sector for more than 11 years in a multitude of ways, as Host of The Social Housing Round Table, as Co-Chair of the Board for Spring Housing, as a Social Housing Recruiter for over 11 years or as the host of events such as the South-West CIH Conference in 2023.

As someone with a real passion for the sector and a morale compass focused on those most in need, his ventures have always aimed to ensure the voices of all are heard whilst also encouraging debate and discussion which moves conversations and ideas forward, rather than leaves in a vacuum of complaining. He has recruited Heads of, Managers and Officers of Complaints teams nationally, keeping his finger on the pulse of such an ever-changing market whilst also consulting and guiding those he supports to truly value input from our own specialists and those externally.

Of his ventures, the most well-known is The Social Housing Round Table, a free weekly networking event for anyone and everyone to try and create change for the sector. It takes place on Zoom every Tuesday at 11am and with sessions covering everything from complaints and customer services through to sector culture and the risk register, it’s a place to encourage the sector to be honest with itself and truly get to the core of how we can make much needed change.